1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to conveyor systems, and more particularly to an endless conveyor system having at least one pallet, wherein the pallet includes a deformable drive pin.
2. Discussion
Conveyor systems are used in a wide variety of applications to move various articles between desired points. One specific conveyor system is of the endless variety and includes at least one endless roller chain entrained about roller chain driving sprockets at longitudinally disposed opposite ends of the conveyor.
With such conveyor systems as described above, a heretofore troubling point has been the controlled movement of the pallet around the curved end portions between the top and bottom runs of the endless roller chain assembly(s) More specifically, heretofore developed conveyor systems have included pallets which do not smoothly and positively engage the means by which they are driven around the curved end portions of the endless roller chain assemblies. This problem can be particularly acute when the pallet is frictionally engaged with the roller chain assemblies that are frictionally driving it. In such instances, the pallet is often not in perfect alignment with the gears and/or sprockets which drive it around the curved end portions. When misalignment occurs, the pallet may jam as it comes into engagement with the gear, sprocket, etc., which drives it around the curved end portions, or at the very least, the pallet may be jolted suddenly or suffer unacceptable vibration. Vibration and/or jolting of the pallet can contribute to unacceptable wear of the various components of the conveyor system and add significantly to the noise associated with operation of the system.
Another drawback of heretofore developed pallets is the complexity of the mechanisms needed to couple the pallet with a pallet driving sprocket to drive the pallet between the upper and lower runs of the conveyor. Many such prior art systems incorporate springs and/or like biasing means, latches, etc., to insure positive engagement with the pallet driving sprocket. Such mechanisms add to the cost of the overall conveyor system and detract from the reliability of the system, in addition to often adding additional maintenance to keep the mechanisms in proper working order.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a conveyor system incorporating a frictionally driven pallet, where the pallet includes a mechanism for smoothly, quietly and more positively engaging a sprocket wheel used to drive the sprocket around curved end portions of the conveyor between the upper and lower runs thereof.
More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a frictionally driven pallet for a conveyor system, where the pallet includes a drive block having a drive pin operable to deform in response to abutting engagement with a tooth of a pallet driving sprocket, to thereby facilitate smoother engagement of the pallet and teeth of the pallet driving sprocket, when the pallet is positioned such that the drive pin does not make perfect engagement inbetween adjacent teeth of the pallet driving sprocket.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a frictionally driven pallet for a conveyor system which incorporates a deformable drive pin disposed within oversized openings, the oversized openings enabling the deformable drive pin to be urged outwardly slightly as the pallet is driven into engagement with the pallet driving sprocket to thereby further facilitate smooth engagement between the pallet and pallet driving sprocket.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a frictionally driven pallet for a conveyor system which incorporates a pallet, a drive block having leg portions operable to circumscribe at least a portion of a pallet driving sprocket used to drive the pallet around curved end portions of the conveyor, where the drive block has a total length such that a deformable drive pin disposed therethrough is located at approximately the midpoint of the total length of the drive block, the overall length of the drive block contributing to further stabilizing the pallet as the pallet is driven around the curved end portions of the conveyor.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a frictionally driven pallet for a conveyor system which incorporates a driving mechanism which is of a simple construction exclusive of springs and latching assemblies, and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and more reliable than heretofore mechanisms.